Watch: ‘New IRA’ used exact same gear as ‘IRA’ in attempt to blow up policeman, says PSNI

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Kevin Mullan

Published:16:26Updated:16:42Friday 01 September 2017

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Violent republicans who tried to blow up a police officer in Culmore earlier this year used the exact same type of improvised explosives device as the group styling itself the ‘IRA’ in an attempted booby-trap attack in the city almost three years ago.

Detectives from the PSNI’s Serious Crime Branch are now linking the attempted murder of an off duty police officer in Ardanlee on February 22 to a botched attack in Ballyarnett in October 2014, that was claimed by the group styling itself as the ‘IRA’, following the merger of the Real IRA and Republican Action Against Drugs (RAAD) in 2012.

The PSNI have now revealed that the exact same methodology and gear was used in the attack earlier this year, which detectives are now blaming on the ‘New IRA.’

Detective Superintendent John McVea said: “We are now able to link the device used in this attack with a previous incident in Ballyarnett Village on October 13, 2014 when unsubstantiated reports of a burglary and subsequent bomb warning calls led us to conclude at that time that the sequence of events was a deliberate attempt to lure police officers into the area to try and murder them.

“We believe the New IRA is responsible for both attacks. I can also confirm that the same type of pressure plate device was used on both occasions.

“These types of devices are designed to murder and seriously injure people. If this Under Vehicle Improvised Explosive Device (UVIED) had exploded with our colleague and his young family in the car earlier this year it would have had devastating consequences. I am thankful this was not the case.

“However, I must emphasise that the violent dissident republicans who carried out this attack did indeed intend to kill him and didn’t care that his children or partner could also have been in the vehicle with him at the time.

“I am also relieved that this small group of people, who have nothing to offer the communities they profess to be a part of, were unsuccessful when they tried to lure police into Ballyarnett Village three years ago.

“It is plain to see that they have no regard for the safety of the local community or indeed the wishes of the vast majority of local people who want to live in a safe and peaceful society.

“They put everyone’s safety at risk as these viable devices were left in residential areas and could have exploded at any time.”

Detective Superintendent John McVea added: “I would like to make an appeal as we have new information about a light coloured car, understood to be a Toyota Avensis, which we believe was in the area of Ardanlee at 11.00pm on Tuesday, February 21, 2017.

“We have been unable to identify the driver or occupants and I would ask the owner of a car, in the CCTV image to come forward to police or indeed anyone who can provide information about it.

“I would like to thank the public for their assistance in these two investigations to date but I believe there are still people in these communities who hold vital pieces of information that can assist us. In relation to the attempted murder of our colleague earlier this year, we would like to hear from anyone who saw any unusual vehicles or people acting suspiciously in the Ardanlee area between 5pm on Tuesday, February 21 and 7am on Wednesday 22.